Spring with external configuration

org.springframework.beans.factory.config.PropertyPlaceholderConfigurer is well known for configuring external properties.
What may be less known is how to define default values.

1. Setting the values on the PropertyPlaceholderConfigurer

 
 
   
      file://${system.properties.pointing.to.config.dir}/config.xml
   
 

  
      
       42 
      
  

2. Setting the value on the bean

 
 
   
      file://${system.properties.pointing.to.config.dir}/config.xml